1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a circulation set for a temperature-controlled catheter and, in particular, to a circulation set for a hypothermia catheter.
2. Background Information
Numerous catheters exist for non-invasive treatment of a variety of internal areas and regions of a patient. Many of these catheters circulate a fluid through a distal portion of the catheter. An example of a type of catheter that may circulate fluid through a distal portion of the catheter is a hypothermia catheter. A hypothermia catheter is inserted into the bloodstream of a patient in order to induce partial or total body hypothermia. A hypothermia catheter may be used to reduce the effects of certain bodily injuries to the brain as well as other organs. A hypothermia catheter may include a heat transfer element located at a distal portion of the catheter. A heat transfer fluid may be circulated along an internal portion of the heat transfer element, drawing heat from the heat transfer element. This, in turn, causes heat to be removed from blood flowing along an external surface of the heat transfer element, causing the resulting blood to be cooled. The collective components that supply fluid to the catheter and regulate the temperature of the fluid being delivered to and/or returning from the distal portion are referred to herein as the circulation set and may include one or more of the following: a fluid reservoir, a pump, a filter, a heat exchanger, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and tubing.
The inventors of the present invention have recognized that as health insurance companies constantly cut back on the amount they are willing to pay for medical devices used in medical procedures, it important to produce a quality circulation set made of inexpensive components. Drawbacks of circulation sets in the past are that many or all of the components of the set are made of relatively expensive non-disposable components intended to be used numerous times before being disposed of, any disposable components of the circulation set are not coveniently separable from the non-disposable components, and the disposable components that are used are not made of readily-available cheap components. The inventors of the present invention have also recognized that it would be better for insurance reimbursement purposes if the circulation set was made of relatively inexpensive components and was essentially disposable.